Driving mechanism



H. F. HANSON 2,384,996

DRIVING MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1943 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 18, 1945.

Patented Sept. 18; 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,3s4,99s V DRIVING MEcnANsM Harold F. Hanson, Willinsburg, Pa., assinor to Westinglouse Electric Corporation, East Plttsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pemsylvania Application May 28, 1943, Serial No; 488331 6 Claims. (Cl. 74-367) My invention relates, generally, to driving mechanisms and, more particularly, tothose of the unidirectional type wherein the driven shaft always rotates in the same direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the driving shaft.

One field of application 'for unidirectional drives is on railway car lighting and air-conditioning generators which are driven by the car axles. At the present time rather complicated brush shifting and control devices are utilized to provide for a. change in the direction of operation of the railway cars.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a unidirectional drive which shall be simple and efllcient in operation and which may be economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a totally-enclosed unidirectional drive of the gear type. i

Another object of my invention is to provide a unidirectionel drive of the gear type in which the gears are constently in mesh.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unidirectional drive in which no hearing operates faster than the driving or the driven shaft.

Other objects of my invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In 'accordance with my invention, a. plurality of intermeshing gears, of either the spur or the bevel type, and overrunning clutches are so disposed in a rotatable yoke that a driven shaft always rotates in the same direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the driving shaft.

For afuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunc'tion with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a unidirectional drive mechanism embodying my invention;

Fig; 2 is a view, in section, taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 `is a View in section, taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Figx i 'is a sectional View showing a modified arrangement of part of the gears shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and' Fig. 'is 'a sectionai view of a modification of the invention. i

Referring to the drawings and, more particularly, to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the structure shown therein comprises a driving shaft o and a driven shaft l I which are rotatably mounted in a housi ins I on bearings |3 and l4, respectively. A

yoke IS is rotatably mounted on the shafts o' and ll by means of bearings 16, I'I, 18 and !9, the bearings IS and I'l being disposed on the shaft III and the .bearings s and |9 being disposed on the shaft Il. e v

A spur gear 2! is secured toy the shaft o and a similar gear 22 is secured to the shaft il. An intermediate gear shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in the yoke I! -by means o! bearings 24 and 25. A gear 26, which intermeshes with thegear 2l, is secured to theintermediate shaft 23. A gear 21 is also secured to the intermediate shaft 23 and is interconnected .with the gear 22 by means oi' an idler gear 28. The idler gear 28 is secured to a shaft 29 which is rotatably mounted in the yoke !5 by means of bearings 3| and 32.

In order that the driven shaft ll will rotate in only one direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the driving shatt o, an overrunning clutch or brake 33 is provided for controlling the direction of rotation of the yoke !5 in the housing' I 2. A similar overrunning clutch or brake 34 is also provided for controlling the direction of rotation of the intermediate gear shaft 23 in the yoke !5. The overrunning clutches 33 and 34 may be of a type well known in the automotive art. In the present structure the clutch 33 is so constructed that the yoke !5 can rotate only in a clockwise direction, which is the direction of rotation of the driven shaft ll. Likewise, the clutch 34 is so constructed that the intermediate gear shaft 23 can rotate only in a clockwise direction. It will be understood that if counterclockwise rotation of the driven shaft l I is desired, the clutches 33 and 34 may be so constructed as to secure counterclockwise rotation of the members controlled by these clutches.

The structure shown in the .present application operates as follows: For clockwise rotation of the driving shar-t o the over-running clutch 33 turns freely, while the overrunning .clutch 34 locks the intermediate gear shaft 23 to the yoke IS. This causes the yoke IS and all the gears to rotate as a unit, thereby driving the driven shaft ll in a clockwise direction 4 For counterclockwise rotation of the driving shaft lo, the overrunning clutch 33 locks the yoke s to the housing !2, while the overrunning clutch 34 turns freely in the yoke I5. This causes the driven shaft l i to be rotated in a clockwise direction through the gears 2l, 28, 21, 28, and 22,' the shaits for which rotate in their respective bearings. In' this manner the shaft il is driven in only one direction irrespectlve of the direction of rotation of the drivlng shaft III.

- a similar beve gear As iilustrated in Fig. 4 the mechanlsm may be simplified by omitting the idler gear 28, its shaft 28, 'and the bearings required for the idler gear shaft. Sprocket 'wheels 35 and 38 are provided in place oi' the' gear wheels 21 and 22, respectively, and these sprocket wheels are connected by means of a chain 31. otherwise, the modified structure is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

A further modification of the invention is illustrated in Flg. in which like parts'are designated by the same reference characters as in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. rotatably mounted in the housing iz on bearings ll and 42. The driven shaft H is rotatabiy mounted in the housing z on bearings 43 and M.

A bevel gear 45 is secured to the shaft ne and 46 is secured to the shaft ii. An intermediate gear 41 is secured to a shaft s which is rotatably mounted in a yoke 49 by means oi bearings !i and *52. The yoke es is rotatabl mounted on the shaft o by means of bearings 53 and 54. i

In order to control the direction of rotation of the yoke 49 and the intermediate gear shaft 48,'

an overrunning clutch 55 is disposedbetween the yoke 49 and the housing z and a similar overrunning clutch 56 is disposed betweenthe intermediate gear shaft 48 and the yoke 49.' The overrunning clutch 55 is so constructed'that the yoke !5 can rotate only in a clockwise direction which is the direction of rotation of the driven shaft Il. The overrunning clutch 56 is so constructed that the intermediate gear shaft 48 can rotate only in the direction indicated by the arrow; and 55 may be so constructed that opposite directions of rotation of the yoke, and the intermediate gear shaft are obtained, thereby securing counterclockwise rotation of the driven shaft.

The structure shown in Fig. 5 operates as follows: For clockwise rotation of the driving shaft lo the overrunning ciutch 55 turns freely, while the overrunning clutch 56 locks the intermediate gear shaft 48 and the yoke &9 together. This causes the yoke 49 and the three bevel gears to rotate as a unit, thereby driving the shaft li in i a clockwise direction.

For counterclockwise rotation of the driving shaft o the overrunning clutch 55 locks the yoke 48 to the housing !2 while the overrunning clutch 56 turns freely. This brings the bevel gears into action thereby causing the driven shaft to rotate clockwise.

It will be noted that in the' present structure the driving and the driven gears are of the same diameters, therefore, no hearing is required to operate faster than the driving or the driven shaft Other drives of the present type, with which I am. familiar, require certain of the bearings-to operate at double speeds, thereby making an almost impossible hearing application for railway service.

A further advantage of the present structure is that all of the bearings and gears are totally enclosed, thereby permitting proper lubrication of these members. Furthermore, it is apparent that a portion of the structure herein illustrated can be built into other equipment such as a generator housing, thereby further simplifying the structure.

As explained hereinbefore, the unidirectional drive herein described and illustrated may be 'utiiized with railway car lighting and air-con- As explained hereinbefore.the clutches 55 V The driving shaft m is r ditioning generators. It may also be utiiized in Lot-her applications where the unidirectionalfeadeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, it

is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A unidirectional drive comprising, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a gear secured to thedriving shaft, an intermediate gear cooperating with said gear. a rotatable shaft to which said intermediate gear is secured, a rotatable yoke for supporting said intermediate gear shaft parallel to the driving and driven shafts, means for connecting the intermediate gear shaft to the driven shaft, means for controlling the direction of rotation of said yoke, and additional means for controlling the direction of rotation of said intermediate gear shaft whereby the driven shaft always rotates in the same direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the driving shaft.

2. A unidirectional drive comprising, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a gear secured to each of said shafts, an intermediate gear cooperating with the gear on the driving shaft, a rotatable shaft to which said intermediate gear -is secured, a rotatable yoke for supporting said intermediate gear shaft parallel to the driving and driven shafts, gear means for connecting the intermediate gear shaft to the gear on the driven shaft, a brake for controlling the direction of rotation of said yoke and an additional brake for controlling the direction of rotation of said intermediate gear shaft, whereby the driven shaft always rotates in the same direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the driving shaft.

3. A unidirectional drive comprising, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a gear secured to each of said shafts, an intermediate gear cooperating with the gear on the driving shaft, a rotatable shaft to which said intermediate gear is secured. a rotatable yoke for supporting said intermediate gear shaft parallel to the driving and driven shafts, means for connecting the intermediate gear shaft to the driven shaft, said yoke being free to rotate about said driving shaft in one direction only, and said intermediate gear shaft being free to rotate in said yoke in one direction driven shaft, said yoke being free to rotate about said driving shaft in one direction only, said intermediate gear shaft being free to rotate in said yoke in one direction only, whereby the driven shaft always rotates in the same direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the driving shaft, and a housing enclosing said gears and said yoke. V

5. A unidirectional drive comprising, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a gear secured to each of-said shafts, an intermediate gear cooperating with the gear on the driving shaft, a rotatable shaft to which said intermediate gear is Secured, a rotatable yoke tor supporting said intermediate gear shalt, means for connecting the intermediate gear shalt to the driven shaft, said yoke being free to rotate about said driving shaft in one direction only, said intermediate gear shai't being !ree to rotate in said yoke in one direction only, whereby the driven shaft always rotates in the same direction irrespective oi' the direction oi' rotation of the driving shait, and a housing enclosing said gears and said yoke and supporting said driving and said driven shafts.

6. A unidirectional drive comprising, a driving' shaft, a driven shaft, a gear secured to each of 

